After more than 20 years serving as attorney for the board of supervisors, Tim Hudson plans to retire this year.
While he privately informed each board member, Hudson made it official Wednesday with an announcement during the board’s meeting at Lowndes County Courthouse.
“Some time ago, I got a letter from Social Security that shows how much you put in each year. … My first year was 1970, 56 years ago,” Hudson told the board with a laugh. “I’ve had a job for 56 years somewhere, and I’m ready to try unemployment. I just wanted to let the board know where you can be making arrangements to find someone.”
Hudson said he was first hired for his position with the county in 2000. Though during the meeting, District 5 Supervisor Leroy Brooks said he remembers working alongside Hudson as colleagues well before he was hired as the board attorney.
Brooks lauded Hudson’s fairness as he worked with different administrations over the decades.
“We go quite a ways back. He’s really been a great guy,” Brooks said. “He came on to a board that was crazy as hell, and he managed to navigate and survive and be fair to everybody.”
Trip Hairston, District 2 supervisor and president for the board, thanked Hudson for his service and said the county will begin accepting resumes with hopes of filling the position by the fall.
“The first meeting in September might be a good timeline, but of course we can move it as needed,” Hairston said. “Thank you, Tim. Appreciate all your service to the board, and I see a resolution coming your way. Maybe one you don’t have to write.”
Regarding the board’s next attorney, Brooks and Hairston both expressed hope for a candidate who represents the interests of the board in its entirety, rather than individual interests of board members.
“The one thing I’m looking for is that we get an attorney that’s going to be fair around the board,” Brooks said. “I don’t want an attorney that will tell one supervisor something and the other person is left out. We just need someone that’s going to be fair.”
Other business
In other business Wednesday, supervisors:
■ approved the hire of a certified deputy for Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office, who will serve as the county animal control officer at a pay rate of $20.90 an hour;
■ approved a resolution of intent to loan of up to $2.8 million to do any necessary road and rail infrastructure work related to Aluminum Dynamics’ new $200 million recycled aluminum slab center; and
■ approved a continuing resolution of intent to issue up to $30 million in bonds for industrial development projects if needed, an incentive Butler Snow Law Firm Representative Sue Fairbank said is a selling point when marketing sites to industry.
McRae is a general assignment and education reporter for The Dispatch.
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